Posted by Sara C. Clark on

With the rising use of social media, it is becoming more difficult for school districts to know when to intervene with online issues involving students. When should a school district address off-campus social media posts between students? Should they be involved in disciplining pupils who have engaged in social media misconduct? Where is the balance between a student’s First Amendment right to free speech and the district’s goals of protecting students and providing a safe and nurturing school environment…

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The United States Department of Education (USDOE) has announced a new school funding pilot program and an interactive resource for data on English Learners (ELs).

Posted by Sara C. Clark on

As Ohio public school districts welcome former ECOT students back into their schools, OSBA is supporting boards of education with any assistance they need to help students smoothly transition into the public school system. As part of that effort, OSBA has created a web page

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Posted by Megan E. Greulich on

On Jan. 16, via press release, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) announced the approval of Ohio’s state plan submitted as required by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Ohio was one of 11 states receiving DOE plan approval, including Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Ohio’s plan was unanimously approved by the State Board on July 11, 2017, and subsequently submitted to DOE on Sept. 15, 2017. The press release highlighted some unique features of Ohio’s plan, including its focus on serving…

Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on

Does your board have new members? Have you been a board member for a while, but want to brush up on some of the basics? OSBA’s upcoming workshop — “Board member 101: Survival kit for your first 90 days in office” — may be just the ticket.

This two-day workshop focuses on helping board members, particularly those who are new to their positions, to develop into more effective educational leaders. OSBA staff from the divisions of board and management services, legal services, policy, and legislative services are…

Posted by Sara C. Clark on

Ohio Revised Code (RC) 3313.82 requires every school district and educational service center (ESC) to assemble a business advisory council. As part of the most recent budget bill, the Ohio General Assembly enacted RC 3313.821, which directs the superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the governor’s executive workforce board, to establish standards for the operation of business advisory councils. Those…

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Posted by Megan E. Greulich on

On Dec. 7, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) released a Q&A document clarifying the scope of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) following the Supreme Court of the United States’ (SCOTUS) March 2017 decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District.

The SCOTUSblog provides resources…

Posted by Van D. Keating on

The Local Government Records Program at the Ohio History Connection recently shared an updated model retention schedule for school districts. The schedule identifies records that are commonly created by school districts and provides suggestions for the length of their retention. These retention periods are either required by statute or determined by…

Posted by Sara C. Clark on

One month from today, hundreds of newly-elected board members will begin terms of office on their local boards of education. Board inquiries concerning board transition, the organizational meeting, oath of office, and new board member training opportunities are some of the most frequently asked questions we respond to at this time of year. Please find below a list of resources OSBA has compiled to help districts, and new board members, during this transitional period:

Board member transition

Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on

The administrative offices for a district burn to the ground. A tornado wipes out electrical service for all of the schools in another district for three weeks. Computer hackers take over a district’s mainframe, shutting staff out and wiping out years of stored data. Would your district be prepared for one of these events?

As we head into the winter months, it’s a good time to think about whether your district is prepared in the event that weather, fire or some other emergency significantly affects the district’s operations. OSBA has made…